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Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

This is perfect advice from father to a son. David has told the all the leaders that Solomon will be building the temple. This is part of what he then addresses directly to Solomon. David had lived a lifetime of being a man after God’s heart. He knew God’s character, and this allowed him to give Solomon this hope.

What can we learn from this? Can this apply to us today? We know that God’s character hasn’t changed. While God was with them in the Old Testament, He is in us through the Holy Spirit. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5). He has also planned good works for us to do (Eph 2:10).

So, our work for the Lord is never finished this side of heaven. He has promised never to leave us, and He is always with us. Therefore, we also should always be strong and courageous, we should act, and we should not fear nor be dismayed.

Friday, I found out that a precious lady from our church passed away unexpectedly. She was a faithful servant, always helping out anytime it was needed. I didn’t read that day’s verse until the weekend, which was probably a good thing. The verse was 2 Timothy 4:7.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; (NASB)

Paul wrote this when near the end of his life, knowing that he would soon face his death. Paul knew that he had completed the tasks that God gave to him to the best of his ability.

At the end of my life, I want to be like Paul and know that I have run my race well. I wonder whether my friend knew that she had run her race well. Dr. Billy Graham passed this last week. Did he feel that he had finished well?

I believe that this is the goal of spiritual maturity: Keep the faith. Persevere. Keep going. When you fall, get back up. Fight the good fight. Finish the course.

This verse is part of a psalm of that was written when King David assigned Asaph and his relatives to the Lord. Many of the psalms are labeled as songs of Asaph.

This verse reminds me of the promise that those who seek God will find him. That promise is a comfort when I feel distant from God. However, this verse reminds me that I shouldn’t be just seeking God when I feel distant from Him. I shouldn’t just seek God when I difficult circumstances in my life. I need to seek Him all the time. I need to seek not just His strength, but His face.

I need His strength to face the difficult circumstances in my life. I also need his strength to run from temptation and to do His will. He has given me His Holy Spirit to be that strength for me, but I must learn to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh. I learn that by seeking His strength and not trying to use my strength.

I also need to seek His face. In my human relationships, it is important that I see people face to face. Long distance relationships (whether with friends, relatives, or my husband) can be strained, because there is less face to face contact. When Mike was working in India, he was gone 4 months before I was able to go over for a visit. While we could email, text, or Skype every day, there was nothing like being directly in his presence again.

It is the same with my relationship to God. I need to be in His presence. While He is present everywhere, there are times when I know He is speaking directly with me. Sometimes this happens during worship. Other times I am in prayer or reading the scriptures. Again, this verse reminds me that I need to seek His face, I need to know His thoughts, not rely on my own opinions.